The paper is an analysis of the Viennese transport system focusing on the dependency on fossil fuels, related governance policies and urban development strategies aiming at reducing the need for mobility (e.g. compact city, polycentric urban structure).

Abstract

The paper discusses the Viennese transport system in the focus of the dependency on fossil fuels and related governance policies. History showed that the development of the last 100 years produced a sustainable, crisis proof urban structure which is possibly independent from motorised individual traffic. Nevertheless still the two main problems concerning CO˛ emissions in Vienna are transport and energy. Transport related CO˛ emissions in Vienna rose by approximately 15 % in the period from 1990 to 2003. With the Climate Protection Programme Vienna has committed itself to 14 % reduction of the total emissions relating to the year 1990.

The direction for the urban development and the development of the city’s transportation system are set by two main instruments: The Transport Master Plan Vienna 2003 and Urban Development Plan Vienna 2005. The spatial planning strategy of the city of Vienna aims at a compact, polycentric urban and regional structure to generally reduce the generation of traffic. People shall be enabled to manage their daily ways with little time, effort and preferably without a car.

In the next few years the planned investments in the development of infrastructure as provided for by the Transport Master Plan will improve the accessibility of locations and thus their attractiveness. They are in line with the urban development strategies which generally reduce the need for mobility. Furthermore actions are taken to increase the share of environmentally-friendly transport and increase the efficiency of vehicles. Even though transportation without or limited energy is already on the agenda – further more actions and measure need to taken to secure a knowledge society in the post petroleum age.